My name is Lee and I’m now 16 and my story begins when I started to learn the piano at the age of 6, but I soon lost interest and gave up. I didn’t know then how important the piano would become to me.

My childhood was unhappy because I had an alcoholic father who would argue a lot and was sometimes violent to my mother and I. It was very difficult for us. We felt trapped. It was difficult to make close friends because I did not want them at my house in case something happened. I found it difficult to talk to them about it. I found it hard to apply myself to schoolwork and teachers gave the impression they thought everyone has a happy home-life. This made me feel very alone and vulnerable.

When I was about, 10 I started to search for something to do in my spare time, something that would take my mind off what was happening around me. The piano seemed the perfect thing. My mum (being a music teacher) helped me to get back into my piano playing and within 2 years I had done my first 4 grades of playing and theory. This boosted my confidence because I felt I was good at something and I could lose myself in it. The piano became my friend.

One day every thing went wrong. My father came home drunk and acted more violently than he had before. It was then that he left home and I saw very little of him. I had never needed my music as much. It was such a help to me.

Time passed and eventually I made contact with my dad and he had met someone who he seemed happy with. I thought that he had changed, until one night the past repeated itself but this time with his girlfriend. Everything that happened before, all the emotions that I thought I had lost came back. I was very sad but luckily a family friend saw what I was going through and encouraged me to really focus on my piano. This would prove to give me the strength, hope and encouragement to see something positive for my future.

By sheer chance, at this time a local school with a fantastic music school was offering music scholarships. I also found a new piano teacher who has pushed my playing forward tremendously. I visited the school and was invited to sit the exam. How would I have known that my piano would lead to new beginnings: I won an exhibition scholarship to the school and I start in September- I can’t wait for they have recording studios, orchestras, harpsichords, church organ and the opportunities are amazing.